Orotina

Description

Located in the Canton of Orotina in Alajuela province is the small fruit-growing town of Orotina, lying in Costa Rica's lush and green Central Valley. Situated in the north Pacific region of the country, Orotina is a very typical agricultural Costa Rican town. Found at the foot of the Avocado Mountains and serving as a halfway point between Atenas and Quepos, Orotina is a great place to visit any time of the year due to the excellent weather conditions that prevail here.

Approximately an one hour drive west of the capital city San Jose; to reach Orotina one has to drive through charming small towns and villages amid beautiful sceneries, long winding roads and verdant mountains. A popular stopover when traveling to Playa Jaco or Quepos. The main reason why so many people come here is because this small town is renowned throughout the country for its amazing variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Often nicknamed the 'the fruit town', Orotina is just a 25 minute drive to the nearby Pacific Coast beaches. Also close to Orotina is the small town of San Mateo. This town is popular with tourists who mainly visit the Ceramica San Mateo, a ceramics shop which sells pottery made by local and regional artists.

A good time to visit Orotina is in March, when there is a fruit festival held in town. During this period, the town comes alive with Costa Ricans from all across the country coming here to exhibit and sell their fruits and vegetables. Food stalls are also set up along with rides and concerts for the people to enjoy. There are even lectures held on locally used irrigation, farming and growing techniques.